It’s been a while since I’ve checked in with the Five Senses. They’re always fun to write, and they seem to be a reader-fave. So here we go. Share you Five Senses Monday in the comments or let us know if you post them on your own blog.

Hearing: Friends new and old strumming and singing around a campfire. Water lapping against the side of the kayak. Lana Del Rey. I’m still surprised I’m not sick of that album yet. You can hear guitar and banjo around the fire here and the sound of the water here.

Seeing: My almost-8-year-old Aussie-Chow hanging her paws over the edge of the kayak (I think being lulled to sleep by the water is her favorite way to nap now). Babies — they’re one of the best parts of working in a hospital. The sunrise from my the back-of-my-car-turned-bed (surprisingly, it worked quite well). Lots of weird algae, but no leaches or rattlesnakes as expected. Outer space through Mike’s massive telescope: Saturn that looks like a little Spaghettio with it’s perfect ring, the moon’s crater’s, the colors of Mars and the speck of Jupiter.

Proof that it’s possible to sleep in the back of the toaster (aka Scion xb). I’ve always wondered, and this weekend, we did:Tasting: Hershey Kisses (I’ve been doing really well with limiting the sugar, but those little morsels have been my afternoon — and sometimes morning — saviors). Sausages and salad eaten by a campfire, because everything tastes good by a campfire. Salmon grilled three different ways: with lemon, with lemon and fresh rosemary and homemade pesto. So good. Hard apple cider and some orange tamarind drink in the cider section (omg). Homegrown lettuce. An overdose of sugar snap peas. But they’re so good!

Smelling: Coffee … one group of friends, four French presses. Wet dogs. Suncreen. Someone else’s barbecue that wasn’t mine (that’s always the worst). Chlorine during a night in the hot tub.

I didn’t buy this wheat beer, but I like its packaging oh-so-much:Hot-tub and succulent-magnet-making night with Maggie and Sara.My boss introduced me to dirty martinis. I’m a new fan. A big work event was a success.Working from home one morning meant this guy was my konked-out coworker.I rode, like, 80 miles in spin class last week:Feeling: Proud that I finished my personal daily-spinning challenge; I went to spin class six times in five days, then followed up with a weekend 5K walk and hours of kayaking. I’m feeling a little stiff this Monday. Also, excited that I won another first place award in writing for the story I wrote while at the News-Sentinel, as well as second place for lifestyle coverage while I was Lodi Living editor. Feeling heartbroken, though, for the family I wrote about. The story was about a young family after their toddler had a bone marrow transplant. Today, almost a year later, he is back in the hospital getting chemotherapy/his second transplant. Praying hard for that beautiful family and baby.

Dan Evans, News-Sentinel photographer, did a great job on the photos. This is one of his. Read the story for more.